Of A Demon In My View
by Jaina22
Summary: Harper's past catches up with him. *Ch. 4 and 5 up*
1. Promises Made

It's time to fly.

It's time to die.

You kick and flail,

To no avail.

As the screaming,

Drowns your dreams.

******

Chapter One: Promises Made

*****

"Wanna wrastle?" Brendan asked as he hit his cousin playfully on the arm.

Harper, never one to back down from a challenge, eyed Brendan and nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright, on three. One…two-" Brendan dove for Seamus playfully in a classic move and the two rolled on the dirt ground before fists started flying.

To any bystander it would have appeared as if the two children were trying to rip each other to pieces, but any earth dweller would know that the boys were just rough housing. After all, they needed to learn how to fight if they were going to survive, and skills were learned and honed at a young age. Fighting, for mudfeet, was what playing a strategic computer game would be for a soon to be commonwealth officer, and flying simulations was to a future pilot. It was necessary. Noses were bloodied, lips were split, and pain was felt, but it was all a vivid characteristic of life. To feel pain was to be alive, and that was the best thing anyone could be.

The "wresting" continued and Brendan grunted as Harper nailed him hard in the chest and sat on him, hoping to pin him. In doing that, however, Harper had left part of his back unguarded and Brendan took the opportunity to slug him, successfully knocking the smaller boy off. Although the fight appeared vicious, neither would ever hit hard enough or in too vulnerable of a spot to seriously injure the other. This was the only thing that separated play from survival, and if it had been real they would have gone for each other's eyes, throat, or more fatal places, but the situation wasn't life or death so the wresting remained playful. They stopped only after Harper slammed his cousin to the ground and Brendan smacked the back of his head on a rock.

"Sorry Brendan," the younger boy apologized immediately.

"Don't worry 'bout it," the stoic mudfoot replied. "I'm fine."

"We had a good run though huh?"

"Yah…you punch harder than you used to."

Harper smiled at the compliment, "Thanks."

The two boys pulled themselves off the ground and did their best to try to stop the blood that was dripping and oozing from their minor injuries.

"Hey Shay…" Brendan started as he leaned against a nearby tree.

"I told you not to call me that."

"Oh c'mon Dec and Si did not give you that nickname!"

"I don't care," Harper huffed and kicked a small stone by his foot. "I just don't want anyone to call me that anymore."

"Ok, ok, fine."

Harper took in a deep breath of freshly polluted air and stared up at the sky, trying not to remember. Brendan, however, hung his head and examined the dirt at his feet while he thought of his past friends. The scene was a perfect reflection of their clashing personalities. One was always aiming for the stars and dreaming of the future, and the other took things in and accepted facts for what they were. Although they were different they complemented each other in many ways. Both could fight, but Harper had a knack for planning strategies and designing things, while Brendan was the fearless one that could convince anyone that white was black and black was white. They made a great team and they both knew it.

"I was just saying _Harper_ that maybe we should make a pact…here and now."

Seamus looked at his cousin with curious eyes, "Okay. What kind of pact?"

"A pact that we'll never leave each other…not for anything."

"But Brendan, I'm getting outta here remember? I won't be here forever."

"Fine, then just promise me we'll never leave each other to die…and we'll always be there to help each other no matter what happens. You know you got my back, I got yours." Brendan spoke with a strong and steady voice. "Promise me Shay."

Instead of reprimanding his cousin for once again calling him Shay, Harper just nodded and replied, "I promise."

"I promise too," Brendan said. "Now we should do something…something so we'll never forget…"

"Like what?"

"We should…make a mark!"

"What?" Seamus asked, totally confused.

"Mark ourselves. We should make a little scar somewhere so whenever we see it we'll remember each other."

"Oh okay, but where?"

Brendan's brow creased in concentration as he tried vainly to think of the perfect place, "How about…our hand! That's something you look at all the time and the grown-ups will just think that we fell or something dumb like that."

Harper unsheathed his knife and wiped it clean on his shirt. Brendan took it first and made a small, yet deep, five-millimeter slit about an inch below his forefinger and an inch to the left of his thumb. Harper followed suit and soon enough they both had matching marks on their left hands.

"Now we'll always remember each other," Harper said softly.

"Don't sound so depressed Harper. It doesn't fit you well. Besides, we should be happy. We're always going to be there for each other, so no matter what, even if the Magog are on the verge of killing us or the Nietzscheans are about to rip our throats out, we'll always have that hope that we'll save each other."

Harper just nodded as he stared into Brendan's electric eyes, not knowing what to say. The blood that ran down his hand was all but unnoticeable and he actually did feel better…comforted almost. His mouth parted into a big white smile, as he looked back up at the sky, content.


	2. Atern Surfing

Chapter Two: Atern Surfing

The salty water sprayed up into Harper's face. He gave his head a quick shake and crystal droplets shot out from his wet hair. The tan engineer smiled and attacked another wave in hopes of clinching the surfing championship he was fighting for. There were only a few thousand competitors, but all of the best Infinity Atoll surfers were there. There weren't many amateurs or intermediate surfers entered since the oceans of Atern were dangerous. Large underwater rocks protruded from the surface, extremely strong rip tides existed, deadly animals roamed the waters, and there was no ocean patrol to save you.

__

This is what separates the boys from the men, Harper thought to himself as he nailed another move.

The crescent of power he was riding was setting up some difficult tricks and he was glad. It was the luck of the draw mostly. Whoever got the best wave and made the most of it would win.

Out of the four previous runs, Harper could tell that this one would be his best. It would be a great way to end the tournament. The last time he had checked he'd been in seventh place, an all time record for him. Now he even had a chance of winning and that thought made him smirk with satisfaction as he continued to surf.

The sound of breaking waves broke Harper's trance and he realized that his own wave would soon fail as well. Taking a deep breath, he did one last move before shooting across the length of the wave as it started to break right behind him. Harper gritted his teeth and willed his waxed board to go faster. He knew that if he could pull it off, he'd win. Hoping beyond hope he closed his eyes just as he flew from the rolling wave's grasp. He flew his hands in the air and yelled happily as the adrenaline surged through him. The people watching on shore cheered and he knew he had just won one of the hardest surfing championships in the known worlds.

"Yes!" He said to himself but sound seemed to echo in his ears and it sounded louder than it should have. The people watching on the beach had suddenly gotten quiet. Harper frowned and slowly turned his head. It was too late. He was heading straight for an outcropping of rocks and his board ran right into them. His momentum was enough to throw him from his perch and it was just his luck that he landed on another rock before rolling into the water.

Harper was in a daze as a result of the blow to the head he had received. He hadn't yet realized he had to start swimming, so he continued to sink. Only when the need for air overwhelmed him did his body kick to the surface in reflex. Gasping for air as he reached the surface Harper fumbled with his board and managed to grab it. His eyes blinked away the burning water and scanned the horizon. He wasn't far from shore and he saw that another surfer had already begun. They did have to figure out who it was that would win second and third after all.

Sighing, Harper managed to get himself back on this bright surfboard and start paddling. It was then that he noticed the pain in his wrist.

"Crap," He grumbled as he adjusted to kicking and paddling without his left hand. "My trophy better be big…"

The Atern trophy was indeed big and SURFING CHAMPION was engraved in glimmering gold letters. When Harper had gotten back on the Eureka Maru it had immediately been put in his bed. He had slept with it that day as he did with every trophy he had earned and now he was quite content. Clean, dry, and dressed, he gazed at his left wrist wrapped in a thick layer of gauze. The broken bone wasn't completely healed but the doctors had done their best with the limited hours Harper had given them. A dull throbbing was all that remained and it was fine as long as he didn't jostle it or use it too much. Harper grinned while he looked himself over. The doctors had actually cleaned him up fairly well. The only other telltale sign of injury was the cut on his head that had been expertly stitched.

__

Even Trance would be proud, He mused right as a bleep from the cockpit alerted him to the Andromeda's presence.

Harper crossed his fingers and hoped Dylan and Beka wouldn't be too mad at him for taking the Maru and leaving without a word. However, a vivid image of Beka chewing him out played out before his eyes and he winced. 

A growing sliver of doubt arose in his mind, _What was I thinking?_


	3. Rescue Duty

Chapter Three: Rescue Duty

"Hailey," The voice whispered from a dark alcove. "Hailey!"

__

"What?"

"Is there any word yet?"

The seventeen year-old girl, forgetting it was pitch black, shook her head in response before going back to her lookout duties.

__

"Well?" 

"No."

A sigh was barely perceivable before the silence came back like a thick blanket. It had been hours since either had moved, and impatience was setting in. Both were combat leaders, used to quick fights and decisions. The only reason either of them was one of their friends had been taken by the Nietzscheans and they needed to find him before it was too late.

"We're not doing any good here," Hailey growled while trying not to move in restlessness. "For all we know he could be giving away the Resistance's position. We wouldn't even be able to _fight_ with them since we're stuck here…doing _nothing_."

The winter air's bite caused Brendan to shiver before he could answer, "Avery would never do anything to compromise our cause."

"Maybe not by choice, but…well, you've heard the stories."

Brendan shivered again but it wasn't from the cold this time. They'd been staking out the building they believed their friend, Avery, had been taken to. So far the only signs that anyone was even in the building were the lights and the shadows cast by them. No voices had been heard and there was no sign of outside movement, not even a guard.

"We could bust in right now and get him out," Hailey spoke softly. "See, no one's even patrolling."

"I think the cold's getting to your head," Brendan said sarcastically, then frowned. "You're right though. There isn't anyone in sight… In fact, there hasn't been this whole time." 

Alarms started going off in Brendan's head. Why would they capture Avery and not even guard him? Why would they risk it unless…it was a trap? Yet no one had passed by or been seen during the time they'd been watching and they'd been watching for quite awhile.

"They're waiting for us…" The whispered words were out of his mouth before he realized he'd spoken them. "It would be suicide to go in there."

"We have to do _something!_"

"Shh, keep your voice down."

Hailey crawled to where Brendan was sitting and held his face with her hands. She leaned in close enough to stare into his eyes and search them.

Slowly enunciating each word as if talking to a toddler, Hailey said forcefully, "_We can not leave him_."

Brendan broke her gaze and glanced at the tall Nietzschean building. He knew that if they went in they'd be going directly into a trap, but Avery was their friend, companion, and loyal comrade. They would have to rescue him, regardless of the consequences.

"You're right," Brendan said, "but we're not going to fall for the ubers' trap. Right?"

Catching herself nodding in the dark again, she replied, "Of course."

"Alright, here's what we're going to do…"

Twenty minutes later, Brendan and Hailey were on the roof arguing over who would be the one to break in and crawl through the ventilation shafts in order to get to Avery and hopefully free him.

"I'm the leader here," said Brendan in a hushed tone.

"I'm smaller and more agile so I'd be able to maneuver better in the small amount of space."

"No, I'm not going to risk-"

Hailey tried to contain her exasperation, "I'm not going to sit on the sidelines just because I'm a girl! I'm going, end of discussion."

"Bu-"

"_End_ of discussion," Hailey commanded. "Now give me that rope and lower me down."

Brendan rolled his eyes but did as she said, knowing it'd be useless to argue. He still didn't understand how he could be one of the toughest leaders but when it came to giving women orders they were the ones that ended up telling _him_ what to do.

Still, he couldn't resist, "So the fact that this was my idea means nothing?"

"Actually," Hailey began as softly as possible while she was being lowered into the shaft, "it was your cousin's idea, not yours, so no."

Brendan rolled his eyes again.

"And don't roll your eyes at me," The voice echoed. "Just because I can't see you doesn't mean I don't know what you're doing."

The young leader sighed and shook his head. A few seconds later the rope tugged and that was the signal to pull the empty rope up and make for the back door where Hailey and Avery would be exiting, or more properly called, escaping.

The minutes Brendan sat waiting behind a bush seemed like forever. He was almost to the point of rushing in there himself when he heard gunfire erupt. Leaping behind the small amount of cover he had, he brandished his gun and prepared to give some cover fire. This was where the plan got sticky. Hailey and Avery, supposing he was healthy, were supposed to run for the nearby forest and lure as many as they could away where they would supposedly take cover again and start shooting until they finished off their adversaries. Brendan was supposed to take a couple of others into the forest and lose them and afterwards he was supposed to meet a supposedly healthy and alive Hailey and Avery at a rendezvous point on the outskirts of the city.

__

There's a lot of supposedly's in this plan, He thought to himself right as the door burst open and an energetic Hailey and haggard Avery came running out, five Nietzscheans right on their tail.

"Hey ubers! Over here! You stupid, genetically modified, inferior beings!" Brendan yelled before turning and running. Two Nietzcheans followed closely behind. That meant Hailey and Avery only had to deal with three. That would be easy enough for them.

Brendan ran as fast as his well-toned legs would carry him. It felt great to be on the run again, the adrenaline pumped through him as his protesting muscles carried him away from the threat. He entered the forest and started to zigzag here and there, jumping up to touch a few trees and running in circles around some others. He knew Nietzscheans had excellent eyesight even in the dark, but they'd be relying mostly on their sense of smell. Knowing several drops, twists and turns, he was able to lose them in less than ten minutes. He could tell because the cursing had taunting had stopped and there wasn't any sound of twigs or branches being broken or moved.

Smirking, Brendan continued to run, liking the feel of it in the crisp night air. He made it to the rendezvous in relatively short amount of time and was overjoyed to see both Avery and Hailey there alive and well.

"Yahoo! That was so great! We really showed them ubers huh Hailey?" Brendan yelled as he came up to the pair.

She nodded solemnly and it was then that Brendan noticed Avery was crying.

Brendan's mood immediately went from happy to concerned and he asked, "Are you hurt?"

Avery choked back a sob and managed to reply, "No."

Slightly confused, Brendan looked from Hailey to Avery, to Hailey again before he understood. The truth hit him like a lightning bolt and he stumbled backwards.

"What…" He had to force the words from his mouth like poison. "What did…did you _tell_ them?"

Avery shook his head violently and collapsed to a heap on the ground, moaning, "I'm sorry Brendan. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry… I couldn't… They said, they said, they'd kill me if, if I didn't… If I didn't tell them…if I…if…"

The kid's voice broke as he curled into a ball and cried. Brendan just stared down at him. His normally messy clothes were in shreds, his long and normally neatly combed black hair was in knots, and from what he could see from the moonlight the boy's face was a mass of bruises. Brendan had a mind to add a few more for such betrayal but he knew Avery was very young, even for a freedom fighter. Instead of reprimanding him, he knelt down next to the fifteen year-old and soothingly rubbed his back.

"What did you tell them Avery?" Brendan's voice held no emotion, anger or otherwise.

"Nothing, nothing _vital_. I knew I shouldn'ta, shouldn't have told 'em anything b-but they wouldn't stop and their questions were s-so easy and I d-didn't think that it would really m-matter if I answered a few to keep myself a-alive."

Brendan repeated his question, "What did you tell them?"

Avery sniffed before answering, "Just the name of the sp-spacer was who came down and h-helped us and what I'd h-heard about his history here and s-stuff. Ya know, stuff that d-doesn't really matter any-anymore. They wanted to kn-know more of c-course but I didn't tell 'em Brendan. I didn't tell 'em anything th-that could've hurt us. _I'd die first_. You know that right?" 

But Brendan wasn't listening. He was staring in the distance, his mind on a completely different track. Harper was in grave danger because of him, because he hadn't kept his mouth shut. Now his cousin's life was on the line and he had no idea what to do, how to reach him, or what could be done to save him.

"Brendan?" Hailey asked. "Are you okay? I know it's dark but you look really pale."

"I-I need to g-go," He said and started to walk towards the city.

"_What?_ Wait a minute. Go where? Brendan, go where?!"

"Take care of them Hailey. I'm leaving you in charge."

The girl grabbed his arm, "What are you talking about? Where are you going?"

Brendan closed his eyes before continuing, "My cousin's life is in jeopardy. I have to…do something. Take Avery back and keep the Resistance running. Don't do anything stupid until I get back. In fact, don't do anything at all. Just have everyone stay put for awhile. Stand down or whatever."

"You're not making any sense. Tell me what's going on."

"I don't know!" He yelled and he heard Avery groan at the raised voice. "For all I know every Dragan in space is looking for Harper and he'll be easy to find. If they get a hold of him, if they even have an idea what he might know… I have to help him."

Hailey refused to let go even when Brendan tried to walk away.

"I'm coming with," She stated.

"No. Stay here and keep things in line, and don't even think about arguing. I'm not very happy right now."

Hailey's grip loosened and she whispered, "It's not his fault. He couldn't have known. You don't have to go. What good could you do anyway? You shouldn't go."

"I know it's not his fault," Brendan said and put his left hand on Hailey's shoulder. He smiled when he saw the little scar that shone in the barely lighted night. "I made a promise a long time ago to look out for someone I loved and I don't break promises, remember?"

Hailey smiled and pulled Brendan back for a kiss before shoving him away, "You better not hurt yourself, or get caught, or get dead…"

"I won't," Brendan said while walking backwards with a roguish smile on his face, "I promise."

"I'll hold you to it!" Hailey yelled out as Brendan turned and ran toward the lights.

"Good luck," she whispered before turning around herself to console Avery and bring him home.


	4. Repercussions

"Seamus Zelazny Harper, what the _hell_ were you thinking?!" Beka yelled as soon as Harper's foot hit the Andromeda's deck. Her and Dylan stood side by side with their arms crossed over their chests, in a classic 'you're in deep trouble' pose.

He looked up at both of them innocently before replying, "Oops?"

"Oops is right! We didn't know where you went, when you were coming back, if something had happened to you, if-"

"Sheesh Beka," Harper interrupted with a smirk on his face. "You sound like my mom."

Beka fell silent and looked as is she was going explode with anger, so Dylan took the time to add his reprimands.

"This is strike three Harper. So first," He began and brought his hand up to keep the engineer quiet, "you're going to go get cleaned up and repack your bags. Then-" 

An intense look of fear filled Harper's eyes and he jumped forward and grabbed Dylan by the arm, "Please, I'm sorry. I'll never do it again, I promise. Next time, uh, I'll ask you before I leave, or do anything, or go anywhere. Please, just don't kick me out."

"Harper," Dylan said sternly while he pried himself from the young man's grasp, "I'm not going to kick you out. You should know that by now. All I was going to say was that you're going to go on a little trip with us. We're taking the Maru to a nearby planet to restock some supplies for the Andromeda."

Harper, with a blush rising to his cheeks, recollected himself and nodded.

"However, since this is the _third_ time this has happened, you _are_ going to be punished when we get back…" Dylan trailed off and thought for a few seconds before continuing slowly, "just not…by me."

"Huh?" Beka and Harper both questioned.

"I think, that since it was Beka's ship you took, she should be the one to figure out your punishment."

Now Dylan was the one receiving a glare. He knew he should've done something, but Harper was still young and he couldn't help but see a few of his own rebellious traits in the engineer. Besides, Harper had more than earned a shore leave, and the only serious thing he had done wrong was borrow Beka's ship without permission.

She was now the one trying to figure out what to do. No matter how much Harper annoyed her, he was like family, and she didn't want to be too harsh, but she didn't want to be too lax either. Because she cared for him, Harper needed to learn his lesson.

"Alright then," Beka began, "when we get back to the Andromeda you're confined to your regular quarters for a week, and you'll spend that much time, if not more, cleaning every single little nook and cranny on the Maru. And when I say clean Harper, I don't mean _your_ definition of clean, I mean the, you can eat off the floor kind of clean. Understood?"

"But-"

"Now hurry up and go get ready!"

Harper's brow creased as he tried to gage whether or not his boss was being serious. After a couple of awkward seconds he decided she was, and stormed off to go get his stuff. Once he was gone, Beka turned to Dylan about to chastise him for not backing her up, but found that he was already making his way to the Maru.

"Chicken," she whispered to herself before following him.

**********

TBC


	5. Nietzchean Trail

Beka yawned and pulled herself out of the Maru's slipstream chair. She had just finished her fourth jump and images of food plagued her thoughts. She could smell whatever it was Dylan had been cooking, and her mouth watered. As she got closer she could hear him and Harper discussing the technicalities of slipstream engines.  
  
Beka rolled her eyes before entering the room and asking, "What's cooking?"  
  
"Soup," Dylan replied from the counter where he was stirring the creamy mixture.  
  
"Mmm, smells good."  
  
"I wouldn't eat it," Harper joked, back to his old self again.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"He burnt the other stuff."  
  
"Burnt the other what?"  
  
"Soup."  
  
Beka laughed at the thought of 'Mr. Perfect' screwing up something so basic. It really must've been a blow to the ego.  
  
"How can you burn soup?" Beka asked between giggles.  
  
Dylan rolled his eyes in a vain attempt to save face, and dished up what he had cooked into three separate bowls before replying, "Well, I got distracted and let it cook for a little too long and the bottom got just slightly brown."  
  
"Slightly brown?" Harper scoffed. "It almost lit on fire."  
  
"No it didn't. You're exaggerating." "Nuh-uh! Beka who do you believe? Me or Dylan?"  
  
"Neither," she said good-naturedly. "Just sit down and eat."  
  
Harper make a cat sound and pretended to paw at the air with his hand before settling down at the table. Not quite ready to be serious, he jokingly leaned down and sniffed the bowl before flinging his nose in the air, and crossing his arms in a hilarious attempt to pretend the soup was so offending he wouldn't dare to touch it. Beka just snorted and dug in. She knew well enough that Harper would eat all of it even it was as disgusting as he made it out to be. He consumed anything that was put before him. It was one of his many old habits that had never quite left.  
  
"So Harper.how was the trip?" Beka asked with genuine curiosity. She wanted to make sure he knew she wasn't that mad at him anymore.  
  
"Fun." He answered. "Why?"  
  
"I was just wondering what was with the new hair thing."  
  
"What new hair thing?"  
  
"The fact that it's hanging on your forehead instead of its typical spiky place."  
  
"I didn't feel like dealing with it today," He said testily.  
  
"Okay... So.what place did you get?"  
  
Harper grinned slyly before replying, "Second."  
  
"Ha ha! Way to go kiddo!" Beka exclaimed happily before ruffling his shaggy hair.  
  
Harper grimaced as her fingers brushed his stitches, which had been expertly hidden under his bangs. Hoping she wouldn't notice, he held still and pasted a fake smile on his face. It was too bad Beka was extremely observant.  
  
"Harper, what's this?" She asked with her hand still on his head.  
  
"Nothing," He lied. "Just a scratch."  
  
Beka pushed his bangs up and Dylan, who had been watching the two the whole time, said sarcastically, "I didn't know doctors gave stitches for just a scratch."  
  
"It's nothing." Harper frantically tried to diffuse the situation, "really! I just hit a rock wrong when I was finishing my last surfing run. It's no big deal. I took care of it! My head and my arm are fine."  
  
"What about your arm?" Beka asked, not at all happy.  
  
"I might have.just sort of.broke it? But don't worry! The docs there are pretty damn good. They fixed everything. I didn't want to tell you, 'cause I knew you'd overreact.and everything's fine."  
  
Beka and Dylan shared a glance before Beka spoke, "Maybe you should go lie down for a little bit, just to make sure you're 'all good'. I'm going go check out the course for our next slip point."  
  
"Why am I always treated like a little kid? " Harper dejectedly asked no one in particular.  
  
"Because you always act like it!" Beka yelled before turning to leave.  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"Do too."  
  
"Do not!"  
  
"See?"  
  
"Oh shut-up!" He called after her before sighing in resignation and thinking, Why does my life always have to suck?  
  
**********  
  
"Where are they headed?" Chakov asked his pilot expectantly.  
  
Reyn studied the readout on the console in front of him before replying, "I'm not positive, but they're not in any hurry. Would you like me to plot a course to intercept?"  
  
Chakov flexed his bone blades in thought. More than anything he wanted to board the junky freighter they'd been chasing, but he still wasn't sure whether or not the man he was looking for was on it. An error in judgement would be extremely costly, and Chakov was patient. It was on of his "better" characteristics. No, he would wait it out until he made a decision or he ran out of time.  
  
"No Reyn, just keep following them."  
  
**********  
  
TBC 


End file.
